Max Mitchell, of Fillmore, makes a dash to collect an Easter egg during the hunt Saturday at Conejo Creek Park South.

Ventura County Star

Emma Kilgore checks out the large plastic eggs in a nest during Saturday’s Conejo Spring Fest in Thousand Oaks.

Ventura County Star

Elise Liou, of West Hills, tries on some bunny ears and other accessories during Conejo Spring Fest at Conejo Creek Park South in Thousand Oaks.

Ventura County Star

Hundreds of families enjoyed Easter egg hunts and a variety of arts and crafts activities at the Conejo Spring Fest held Saturday in Thousand Oaks.

Luke Wilby excitedly picked up the plastic eggs he'd collected and opened them up one by one to reveal the prizes inside.

It turns out he had a strategy for making sure he got a good haul.

"It was hilarious," said his dad, Jonas Wilby. "He took off and every fifth step, he would stop and pick up an egg and then run five steps and pick up an egg."

"I just ran to the end and I got the jackpot," Luke said. "I like it when I get candy because I love candy and chocolate."

Inside one of his eggs was a coupon for free chicken nuggets, and several contained tiny spin tops but finally, to his delight, one opened up to reveal candy.

"We like the park-and-rec events. They're really great," said his mom, Tania Wilby.

The annual event hosted by the Conejo Recreation and Park District took place from noon to 3 p.m. at Conejo Creek Park South on Janss Road, adjacent to Highway 101. It was a joint effort by the district's community centers at Conejo Community Park, Borchard Community Park, Dos Vientos Community Park and Thousand Oaks Community Park.

"One of the great things about living here in the Conejo Valley is having activities like this available for families," said Marie Buell, who was there with her husband, Todd, and son Jake, 6.

For the first time this year, instead of the children handing over the eggs they collected to receive a prize, they could keep the eggs that each had a prize inside.

Park district staff members at the Thousand Oaks Community Center inserted toys into 10,000 plastic eggs and oversaw the egg hunt area, which was divided into sections for different age groups.

There was a garden area with a number of activities as well as game booths, face painting, inflatable jumping equipment and the Easter Bunny, who happily posed for photos with the children.

In the garden area, youngsters were able to plant vegetation, pull a carrot out of the soil and pot a plant to take home with them.

"The kids are decorating the pots with stickers and then they go over and they get some dirt and then they tell us which plant they want and then they pot the plant and go home and grow it," said Emily Vines, 22, from Borchard Community Center. "It's about teaching kids to grow their own plants and to be able to do something themselves."

At another station, staff members handed out pieces of material filled with soil for youngsters to make a character with, using colored felt and glue.

"I'm making a little man," said Michael Bennett, 6. "I used squares for his teeth and googly eyes for his eyes. And he has hair."

The secret ingredient inside was a bunch of seeds that, when the toy was soaked in water, would grow to create a head of spiky hair.

"It's such a great idea and it brings out their personality. It's so much fun," said Michael's mom, Cindy Bennett.